Four people have been arrested after a drug bust yielded 21 kilograms of what is suspected to be cannabis, police said on Tuesday.
The street value of the drug if it were to be sold would have amounted to some €420,000.
Police said that at around 6pm on Monday night, anti-drug police circled a van in Floriana and arrested a 47-year-old Maltese man from Senglea and a 32-year-old Italian man from St. Paul’s Bay.
A search inside the van resulted in the finding of two sealed boxes – one in a fridge and one in a chest freezer – which contained 20 packets of suspected cannabis between them.
The operation continued in a garage and residence in St. Paul’s Bay. Police said that when RIU officials arrived at the house, two Italians – a 23-year-old and a 29-year-old – tried to escape, however were caught and arrested.
Similar packages to what was found in the van were found in the garage, and more suspected cannabis was found inside the house.
Duty Magistrate Gabriella Vella has opened a magisterial inquiry, while the four men are being held at the police depot in Floriana and are expected to be arraigned in the coming days.
Police investigations are ongoing.